Corporate tower district with a small residential core
Upper Hill is one of eighteen Nairobi neighbourhoods we index for furnished rentals. Below are the real price bands, the market numbers, the commute times, and the sample listings we currently hold for the area.
9.2%
Rental yield
81%
Occupancy
4/5
Safety rating
2
Sample listings
Upper Hill is Nairobi's purpose-built corporate district: the World Bank, IFC, Britam Tower, UAP Old Mutual Tower, Coca-Cola's regional office and a long list of banks and law firms sit within a square kilometre. Residential stock is comparatively thin, which is exactly why furnished apartments here command a premium — a tenant working on Hospital Road can walk to the office instead of committing an hour a day to Ngong Road traffic. What exists is mostly newer mid-to-high-rise with full amenity: lift, generator, gym, secure parking, sometimes a rooftop terrace. Nairobi Hospital is on the edge of the district and the Uhuru Highway interchange puts the CBD five minutes away, with the Expressway giving unusually fast airport access for a central location. The tenant profile is almost entirely corporate and institutional: multilateral staff on short-to-medium postings, visiting audit and consulting teams, and senior finance professionals. Evenings are quiet — this is an office district that empties — so tenants who want restaurants and nightlife typically choose Kilimani, ten minutes west, and accept the commute in reverse.
Source: Knight Frank Kenya market reporting, HassConsult Property Index, Cytonn Real Estate research, and verified landlord submissions.
Upper Hill is Nairobi's banking district and it behaves like one: dense at 08:00, empty at 20:00. Hospital Road, Elgon Road and Ralph Bunche carry a steady flow of suited pedestrians between towers, and the residential blocks tucked between them are new, tall and quiet after hours.
Bankers, lawyers, development-agency staff and consultants on mission, plus medical professionals working at Nairobi Hospital. Predominantly one and two-person households on walk-to-work leases.
Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway link to the CBD in about twelve minutes off-peak, and the expressway's Haile Selassie interchange is close. Hospital Road and Elgon Road effectively function as one-way at 08:00 because of hospital traffic; Ralph Bunche is the alternative locals use.
Upper Hill School and Kilimani's private options are nearby, though the area is not school-led. The Nairobi Hospital is the defining institution, minutes away, with Kenyatta National Hospital on the other side of Ngong Road for referral cases.
Yaya Centre is about seven minutes and Prestige Plaza roughly ten. Within Upper Hill itself, the retail is tower ground-floors: coffee shops, pharmacies, bank branches and a supermarket or two rather than a mall.
Nearest mall: Yaya Centre. Nearest major hospital: The Nairobi Hospital. Off-peak drive to the CBD: about 12 minutes.
High footfall by day and heavy corporate security presence. The area empties in the evening, so choose a block with a manned lobby rather than a gate-only arrangement if you get home late.
Upper Hill's residential stock is newer and taller than its neighbours, with generators, lifts and secure basement parking as standard. Demand is workplace-driven, so short corporate lets and serviced units are well represented, and occupancy is steadier through the year than in the lifestyle suburbs.
Source: Cytonn Real Estate research, Knight Frank Kenya and HassConsult Property Index.
| Type | Monthly rent (KES) | Explore |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | KES 75,000 – KES 115,000 | View Studio |
| 1 Bedroom | KES 120,000 – KES 185,000 | View 1 Bedroom |
| 2 Bedroom | KES 185,000 – KES 300,000 | View 2 Bedroom |
| 3 Bedroom | KES 270,000 – KES 420,000 | View 3 Bedroom |
| 4 Bedroom | KES 360,000 – KES 550,000 | View 4 Bedroom |
| Penthouse | KES 450,000 – KES 700,000 | View Penthouse |
Service charge in Upper Hill averages around KES 4,400 per square metre per month. Walk score 71/100.
Upper Hill · 1 Bedroom · full serviced
KES 150,000/month(~$1,150 USD)
Landlord David O. · typically replies in ~8 min
WhatsApp to ViewSee full detailsUpper Hill · 2 Bedroom · premium
KES 225,000/month(~$1,730 USD)
Landlord Wanjiru M. · typically replies in ~12 min
WhatsApp to ViewSee full detailsSample listings shown — full verified inventory launching soon. WhatsApp us for current availability.
| Area | 2BR from | Yield | Occupancy | Walk score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Hill | KES 185,000 | 9.2% | 81% | 71/100 |
| Kilimani | KES 200,000 | 8.6% | 78.2% | 82/100 |
| Ngong Road | KES 110,000 | 8.8% | 80% | 68/100 |
| South B | KES 85,000 | 9.4% | 84% | 66/100 |
| Kileleshwa | KES 160,000 | 8.3% | 82.7% | 62/100 |
Studio: KES 75,000–KES 115,000; 1 Bedroom: KES 120,000–KES 185,000; 2 Bedroom: KES 185,000–KES 300,000; 3 Bedroom: KES 270,000–KES 420,000; 4 Bedroom: KES 360,000–KES 550,000; Penthouse: KES 450,000–KES 700,000. Ranges are compiled from Knight Frank Kenya, HassConsult and Cytonn research plus verified landlord submissions, and are updated monthly.
We rate Upper Hill 4 out of 5 on practical tenant safety, based on the type of security typical in the area's housing stock — manned gates, perimeter security and estate or building-level patrols are standard here. Always check perimeter, lighting, guard rota and alarm response with the landlord before you commit.
World Bank / IFC offices: 0.6 km, about 3 minutes by car. Nairobi Hospital: 0.9 km, about 4 minutes by car. Nairobi CBD: 2.2 km, about 9 minutes by car. JKIA Airport (Expressway): 17 km, about 25 minutes by car. Peak-hour times can be significantly longer.
In newer blocks, a generator, borehole and water storage tanks are standard rather than optional, and service charge reflects that. In older stock it varies. Ask specifically about generator capacity, borehole yield and tank size — in Upper Hill the monthly charge averages around KES 4,400 per square metre.
Ask for national ID or company registration and proof of ownership (title deed, allotment letter or a head lease allowing sublet). View in person or on live video. Pay the landlord directly, never a third party 'holding' the unit. Every listing we publish goes through our 7-point verification, and we re-verify every 90 days.
That is the entire reason to live here. Most residential towers are within ten minutes on foot of the main office buildings on Hospital, Elgon and Ralph Bunche Roads.
The area is quiet rather than dangerous after 20:00, with low footfall. Choose a block with a manned lobby and controlled basement access if you regularly get home late.
Less so. It is a workplace district with limited green space and few family-oriented amenities. Kileleshwa and Lavington are fifteen minutes away and serve families far better.
Tell us your budget and move-in date and we'll come back on WhatsApp with what actually exists in Upper Hill right now.